1. Field of Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate generally, but are not limited, to systems and methods for communicating with a portable device such as a laptop.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As is well known, typical laptop computers utilize an external AC to DC power adapter to charge one or more batteries of the laptop. The external adapter is connected to utility power and to a DC input on the laptop, and the adapter provides a DC voltage to the laptop to charge batteries of the laptop and/or directly power the laptop. There are several manufacturers of laptop computers, and typically, each of these manufacturers have several different models of laptop computers. Often, a different model power adapter is required for each laptop model, as each model may have different DC voltage and current requirements. Universal power adapters are available that can provide a variety of output voltages and current to match the requirements of a laptop computer. These devices typically have either multiple outputs or switched outputs that allow a user to set the output voltage and current requirements to match a laptop's requirements. One such universal power adapter is available from American Power Conversion Corporation (APC) of West Kingston, R.I. under the name TravelPower™, model number TPA90DC.
More recently, at least some laptop models and associated external power adapters include communications capabilities that allow the laptop to communicate with the external power adapter to identify the power adapter, and in at least one model, if the external power adapter is not recognized by the laptop and/or does not have communications capabilities, the laptop will either not accept power from the external power adapter or not charge the laptop batteries using power from the external power adapter. The use of these communications capabilities makes it difficult or not possible to use universal power adapters.